Uprooted Rug Transforms Deadstock Wool Into A Customisable Landscape

Spanish designer Jorge Penadés and rug company cc-tapis have developed Uprooted Rug, a made-to-order design produced from surplus wool. Following its debut at Matter and Shape, the rug has joined the cc-tapis Special Projects collection.

The project demonstrates how manufacturing leftovers can become a valuable design resource while offering architects and interior designers flexibility in size, shape and colour.

Rooted In Mediterranean Landscapes

Uprooted Rug forms part of Uprooted, Penadés’ ongoing research into the ecological, cultural and material landscapes created by the Mediterranean olive oil industry. Through objects, exhibitions and installations, the project explores overlooked resources, production methods and local knowledge connected to this territory.

The rug takes its starting point from the long-standing relationship between olive cultivation and pastoralism. For centuries, sheep have grazed among Mediterranean olive groves, naturally controlling vegetation while producing wool. This positions the fibre as an integral part of the region’s agro-pastoral ecosystem rather than as an isolated material commodity.

Giving Surplus Wool A New Purpose

The rug is made using deadstock wool from cc-tapis’ own production. To maintain consistency during manufacturing, the company purchases more yarn than each individual project requires. Over time, this practice has created an archive of leftover wool.

By incorporating this accumulated material into a new product, Uprooted Rug shows how surplus yarn can be redirected into high-quality interior applications. The approach reduces reliance on newly produced coloured yarn while drawing attention to material flows that often remain hidden within manufacturing processes.

From Olive Roots To Textiles

The rug marks the first textile iteration of Penadés’ Uprooted research. Earlier editions explored the overlooked potential of Andalusian olive tree roots as a material for collectible furniture, while this new collaboration shifts the focus to wool from Southern Europe’s Mediterranean regions.

The deadstock fibres are combined with three undyed yarns. The reversible design translates the grain, density and irregular structure of olive wood into a tactile surface, with variations in texture, tone and composition visible on both sides. By bringing materials associated with different rural industries into dialogue, the project highlights shared connections between landscape, labour, agriculture and production.

Robotic Production With Design Flexibility

Uprooted Rug was developed through the company’s Made in Milan programme using robotufting technology. During development, Penadés and cc-tapis tested different yarn combinations, surface densities and pile heights to determine how surplus and undyed fibres could work together.

Rather than being conceived as a fixed product, the rug functions as an adaptable design system. Each piece is made to order and can be customised in size, form and colour, enabling it to respond to a range of residential, hospitality and other architectural interiors.

Source: Jorge Penadés
Photos: Laura San Segundo